Hi there!

After a year here, I feel I am part of Kith and that Kith is part of me, so I guess I better explain who I am.

Since leaving school, I've always identified as a writer. This has taken - and continues to take - many forms. I've performed poetry for more than a decade, and I've dabbled occasionally in stand-up comedy. I've written stories, films and plays. I was one part of a three-person theatre company based in Sheffield from 2014 to 2017. Our work spanned installations, immersive horror and feature-length, scripted shows. In the last few years I've made podcasts and written media criticism.

On reflection, it's possible I'm just very greedy.

It didn't take long to get drawn into a storytelling and story-catching role at Kith. Storytelling is my latest creative distraction, and I love it. Developing this craft and learning how to bring stories into what we do here is my passion. I'm pretty sure everyone else enjoys it too but, to be honest, I don't think there is anyone more surprised and delighted than me!

From my very first visit, I could feel the tremors of creativity at Kith. I feel lucky every day to meet the exciting and unexpected ideas that leap out of the people who come here. It's this as much as anything else that lifts my spirit. No matter how heavy the world weighs on me, there is nothing like a day at Kith to encourage me, inspire me and heal me.

The meeting of ideas upon which Kith is built is unique - those ideas have been brought together with great care and expertise - and whilst I have no formal training in pedagogy, I find the principles familiar. For the past six years I have been caring for my two step-children, who are autistic and learning disabled. Understanding them, and understanding the world from their perspective, has shown me how important it is to trust our young humans. If us adults respect children as our equals, the possibilities for safe, mutual learning to emerge are endlessly surprising and delightful.

My two boys are outdoors creatures to their bones, and I am grateful for all the berry picking, river splashing and moss patting they have gifted me. Working with the land now, at Kith and at home, it is clear to me that being in touch with our natural surroundings helps us stay in touch with ourselves.

I cannot wait to see everyone - including myself - grow in the fertile soil of Kith Homestead.